The seventh-inning stretch

Sporting News, The, April 16, 2001 by Sean Deveney

1. Miller Fled. The most fitting aspect of opening night: The bratwurst won the fifth-inning meat product race.

2. The Twins. They started 3-0 Projected over 162 games ... well, it still comes out to 70-92.

3. $2.27 million. That's the average salary of major league players. Things you can get for $2.27 million: a Lear jet; a 45-foot yacht; all of Gary, Ind.; Mike Trombley.

4. Alex Rodriguez. Desperate to give the $252 million star positive publicity, the Rangers are announcing estimated distance on his pop outs.

5. Comebacks. Three returning faces that have brightened 2001: Sid Fernandez, Tim Raines and Crocodile Dundee.

6. Buck Martinez. He wants a hand in everything. Defensive substitutions and sacrifice bunts are one thing. But washing the team uniforms is a little much.

7. W. The president hobnobbed before Miller Park opened. "I thanked him for the tax cut," says reliever Ray King.

TSN's
Power Poll

Rk. Team                           W-L

1. N.Y. Yankees                    3-2
2. Atlanta                         3-3
3. Oakland                         2-3
4. St. Louis                       2-3
5. Cleveland                       2-2
6. N.Y. Mets                       2-3
7. San Francisco                   3-2
8. Seattle                         4-1
9. Chicago White Sox               1-3
10. Toronto                        5-1
11. Arizona                        2-3
12. Houston                        4-1
13. Boston                         3-2
14. Texas                          2-4
15. Los Angeles                    4-2
16. Colorado                       3-2
17. Montreal                       4-1
18. Florida                        1-4
19. Anaheim                        2-3
20. Chicago Cubs                   3-2
21. Cincinnati                     2-4
22. Philadelphia                   3-2
23. Milwaukee                      2-4
24. Detroit                        2-2
25. Minnesota                      3-1
26. Kansas City                    1-4
27. San Diego                      2-3
28. Pittsburgh                     2-3
29. Baltimore                      3-2
30. Tampa Bay                      1-4

Through last Saturday's games. TSN's
Power Poll is determined by TSN editors.